shower of feelings.

The feedback from ‘The Passion Project’ has been pretty overwhelming. I’m glad the project could touch people in such a way. I just want to inspire people to pursue their dreams and aspirations. That’s the goal of it all, and I'll most definitely will continue to do things as such, in artistic and creative ways.

I’ve also had the amazing opportunity to document ‘The Strivers Row’ movement. I’ve started working with them about a month ago, and it’s been all love since. It’s truly a blessing to be in the midst of such great artist, and for the energy to be full of love and geniuses. It’s hard to get that feeling from your own family members, let alone people you just met a month ago.

As I push forward, I want God, the universe, and my spiritual connections with the earth use my art in a way to heal, inspire, and change our standard mold of life. Next week I’ll begin to work on some new projects, and I’m in a great headspace as far as indulging into the art form. Photography is art, but it has been so abused that people don’t see it that way anymore. I hope people see something different when they come across what I do.

In a perfect world, I would hitchhike, create, and love. .. I might just do that. 

From Me, To You

I’ve been thinking long and hard about The Passion Project and what it is that I really want to say to you. Feeling like I’m not a strong writer always makes this process hard because I want to articulate how I feel completely. There are so many influences and inspirations behind the concept, and that also makes it hard to decide where to start, and who or what to talk about. But, I want to tell you how I feel right now, at this very moment.

I just came back from getting breakfast near my apartment in New York City, and on my way, I see what looks like a homeless man lying on the ground with his dog. Some people may ask why he has a dog if he’s homeless. But, when hundreds of seemingly happy people walk by you, and your condition goes unnoticed, your dog might mean the world to you. Others may think that this person deserves to be where he is in life, but we don’t know his story, nor do we ask. My thought process was first to ask God for forgiveness for not giving thanks for another day, and second, to thank God for providing me with a meal.

I don’t want to see people struggle. Seeing homelessness, poverty, and pain motivates me to help, to make a difference, and to live life with passion. Everyday in the city, I see hundreds of people. At some point in every single day that I live, I ask myself if the people I see are truly passionate about what they are doing. I know for a fact that passion goes so much further than clocking in and out of work every day, so much further than going to college, so much further than our physical appearance, and definitely so much further than who we are as human beings. Passion is the reason I wake up everyday. Passion is why I am the way I am and why I think the way I think. Passion is the reason why I moved to NYC, it’s the reason I spend countless nights coming up with creative ways to reach people, it’s the reason I traveled to various locations, took hundreds of photos, edited tons of video footage, and worked hard everyday to give all of this to you, with no compensation.

Living a life with passion will change your surroundings and the people that are in your life. Living a life with passion will organically manifest  as greatness in the things you are called to do and the people you meet. It will demand people around you to be and do their best and the energy will multiply tenfold.  So, I guess the only thing I want in return from you, is for you to live harder, to work harder, to love harder, give harder… and to pursue your passion!

"The Passion Project" spread  

Saturday, June 11, 2011, 1:08PM

Friday Morning

Right now I'm fighting this sickness, but I'll be ok. I'm supposed to be meeting this really awesome painter today, so that should be really cool. And I'm also shooting the last part of my project today. I can't wait to show people what I have been working on for the past month and a half. More importantly, I hope I can really change/impact lives of people.. I mean thats what my art is all about. I hate to be on the surface with things; meaning, I could really care less about clothes/style, status, & who you think you may be. I'm all about spreading love, impacting culture, and helping people reach their maximum potential. Breaking these systems that we are unconditionally trained to be in.

I just want to love & create.. not have to worry about the business side or my art, or worry about where my next meal will come from..

Well, keep pushing & living with passion..

Meaning

I'm on the metro north right now heading to Yonkers to meet with Marcus & Toya from The Strivers Row. He has some video equipment I'm going to play with, as well as studio lights.  I'm not by any means a studio photographer...but it may be cool to do portraits and stuff. 

I'm also shooting this wonderful artist I met a couple weeks ago. I'm featuring her in my 'Passion Project'. She's a painter and just graduated from Columbia. Should be pretty cool. 

This weekend I realized that I'm not truly happy unless I'm working. Working on my craft, brainstorming creative ideas, studying videography, or at least  talking with other artist. I don't like being taken out of my world and put in bullshit conversations, talking about politics, or people that are content in their systems. None of that shit has soul. None of it has meaning. None of it is helping my people. 

My purpose here is to impact culture. Continue to love and create as an artist. And break systems that will give my people hope! 

Btw: I don't think I want to have kinds, this baby just made everybody on the train switch to the next one... Even me! Haha. 

Lovely Faces

So I was thinking about how I really want to document my generation. I want to be able to look back 5 years from now, 10  years from now.. and be able to view some of the culture that I live in. I started a project called "Lovely Faces". What I am doing is documenting all the Lovely Faces of people I meet and create with.. should be pretty cool and fun..

Well, here is what I have so far..

 View the rest here http://www.abstractelements.com/lovely-faces

Timing

I apologize if my posts are repetitive, if my grammar is incorrect, or the spelling is horrible. I just write how I am feeling at the moment. I don’t really read over anything…I just want to keep expressing and recording this process.

As I lay on my air mattress, the time is pushing 4am Friday morning…

I’m realizing that I don’t really have a social life. I think it’s because of multiple reasons.. One, I don’t want anyone to outwork me…period! Two, times are pretty hard financially and I can’t afford to put myself in a bind. And three, well…I just feel like there is a time and place for everything.

I love to hang out with friends and just enjoy time with people. But when you feel like you have so much to do, its hard to give up that time … Even when I do hang out, I’m always thinking about my work. I’m always looking at interactions, inspirations and just ways to keep pushing myself. I think that’s because my work is who I am .. and I don’t know how to separate any of it.

It’s hard, because a lot of people in my life don't understand.

I think there are three types of people in this world…

There are people who have no desire. These are people who just live life day to day, and don’t really push their self. They accept their status quo and don’t strive for change.

There are people who have desire, but that is it. These people may want better, but are too afraid to go after and do/be better. Or maybe just have obstacles in front of them from doing better. But to have JUST desire is not enough.

Lastly, there are people that go after anything and everything that they want. Nothing will stop them! They will work hard, they will push through, and they will stay standing in storm!!

There are so many people in this world, so many different problems, and so many things that could be better. If I could, I would change it all… straight up world peace! Lol, but hey.. I guess that would kill the journey.

The universe put us all here for a reason.. and I’d be damn if I didn’t reach my full potential! I know the goodness in life is for us that continue to believe.. 

No Transitions

I was on twitter this morning and started to rant, so I stopped myself and decided to make a post. It's funny, cause I almost use twitter as a journal.. not so much of tweeting things that are going on in my life. But from a sense of expressing beliefs that others can pick and choose to listen to, or not.

I just realized that I haven't lived at home for the past five years.. neither have I been in the same state as my family. Growing up in Omaha, I always wanted to be in the big city. So once I got to college, I always went home with friends on holidays and weekends. We would go to Chicago a lot! And then during basketball season, there was no chance of me going home much, because of travel and practice. Even after I graduated undergrad, I didn't even go home. I was in NY for the summer, went to Maryland for a little over 3 months after that, and then went to Chicago for another 3 months. I have now lived in NYC since mid January.

I always had everything I needed growing up. But seeing my parents struggle from week to week did something to my psyche. Don't get me wrong, I've had the best times with my family! Money or no money.. we have always been close and never let money determine our happiness. But as a kid, you don't want to see your parents struggle.

I have been working extremely hard mastering my craft. Trying to learn and push myself to be more creative. Working hard to change things for my family. Working hard to break cycles in my culture. A lot of times, I get so caught up in working, and not wanting to waste time, that I don't really slow down to just enjoy.. but I feel like I cant enjoy. I know people are counting on me, i know i have lives to touch.. kids to save. I want to accomplish things that are out of this world!! How can I do that, and not work all the time?

How do you find that balance... family, friends, life, school, love, reading, creating, changing, challenging, enjoying...

Well.. right now, i only have one speed.

I love you momma!